Padre Canyon
Categories: Utah
The Padre Canyon Trail in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve can be done as a 7 mile loop that passes through Snow Canyon State Park. Walking down from the pass, the trail intersects with the Three Pools trail. The loop is connected by a 1 mile connector trail at the Johnson Canyon parking lot, but this trail is closed from March thru September so the loop can only be done in winter, unless you climb over the mountain, which is also possible. Sound confusing? You can always just go up to the pass and back.
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The trail starts at Tuacahn Amphitheater.
![](https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/03-PadreCanyon03-1.jpg 1600w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/03-PadreCanyon03-1-480x320.jpg 480w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/03-PadreCanyon03-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/03-PadreCanyon03-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/03-PadreCanyon03-1-570x380.jpg 570w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/03-PadreCanyon03-1-370x247.jpg 370w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/03-PadreCanyon03-1-722x481.jpg 722w)
After some awkward skirting of private property the canyon narrows and begins ascending.
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There are cool arches in formation on both sides of the upper canyon.
![](https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/07-PadreCanyon07-1.jpg 1600w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/07-PadreCanyon07-1-480x320.jpg 480w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/07-PadreCanyon07-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/07-PadreCanyon07-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/07-PadreCanyon07-1-570x380.jpg 570w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/07-PadreCanyon07-1-370x247.jpg 370w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/07-PadreCanyon07-1-722x481.jpg 722w)
Up near the top of the pass. From the parking lot it’s about a 600 foot ascent over about 1.5 miles.
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The back side of the pass. From here the trail descends 400 feet to the Three Pools trail.
![](https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/05-PadreCanyon05-1.jpg 1067w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/05-PadreCanyon05-1-480x720.jpg 480w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/05-PadreCanyon05-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/05-PadreCanyon05-1-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/05-PadreCanyon05-1-570x855.jpg 570w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/05-PadreCanyon05-1-370x555.jpg 370w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/05-PadreCanyon05-1-722x1083.jpg 722w)
Yucca blooms
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Yucca blooms look prehistoric in their simplicity.
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This area is my favorite part of the hike. A surprise stretch of open slickrock.
![](https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/21-PadreCanyon21.jpg 1600w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/21-PadreCanyon21-480x320.jpg 480w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/21-PadreCanyon21-768x512.jpg 768w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/21-PadreCanyon21-800x534.jpg 800w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/21-PadreCanyon21-570x380.jpg 570w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/21-PadreCanyon21-370x247.jpg 370w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/21-PadreCanyon21-722x481.jpg 722w)
It’s steeper than it looks and Kona was a bit scared.
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Really neat area on two different days. On sunny days in the shade the rocks reflect a lot of the blue sky.
![](https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/14-PadreCanyon14-1.jpg 1600w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/14-PadreCanyon14-1-480x305.jpg 480w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/14-PadreCanyon14-1-768x488.jpg 768w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/14-PadreCanyon14-1-800x508.jpg 800w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/14-PadreCanyon14-1-570x362.jpg 570w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/14-PadreCanyon14-1-370x235.jpg 370w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/14-PadreCanyon14-1-722x458.jpg 722w)
A cloudy day after some recent rain.
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![](https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/16-PadreCanyon16-1.jpg 1600w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/16-PadreCanyon16-1-480x320.jpg 480w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/16-PadreCanyon16-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/16-PadreCanyon16-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/16-PadreCanyon16-1-570x380.jpg 570w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/16-PadreCanyon16-1-370x247.jpg 370w, https://adamelliottphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/16-PadreCanyon16-1-722x481.jpg 722w)
A lot of cool textures in this area. There’s an arch up there I never noticed my first time through.
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I decided to check out that arch. This wall was an obstacle.
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Moss and fins
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The back of the arch looked completely different from the other side.
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An overview of the slickrock area from up at the arch.
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Exiting via the Three Pools trail.
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If you parked at Tuacahn Amphitheater this is the last leg of the hike. If you parked at Johnson Canyon this is the beginning.